If you see Him, If you see Her
by AssortedScribbler
Summary: If you see him, if you see her. I still want her and I still need him so. I don’t know why we let each other go. Ducky despairs of these stubborn two sometimes. Jibbs.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own the song, or the characters. Don't sue me.

**A/N: **I really am a country girl at heart, so when I heard this song, all I could think was how I had to use it for something. Then of course, I re-watched the third season of NCIS and I knew what I could use it for. Who else could it possibly fit? It's set in the six years between their parting and their reunion; hope it works for you. I've been working on this one for ages, it sat in a notebook of mine for a while, now I'm typing it up and hoping the rest of it comes to me. The ending came as a complete surprise, I had no idea this was going to turn M on me, but it's my second one. Verity has kindly agreed to beta for me, so this is posted with her approval. Thanks Verity! I also hope Aly is reading this, as this is posted for her, in the hopes she will return the favour! Please please please review, I love hearing from everyone. Thank you in advance!

**Summary:** If you see him, if you see her. I still want her and I still need him so. I don't know why we let each other go. Ducky despairs of these stubborn two sometimes. Jibbs.

**If You See Him, If You See Her**

**Sung by Reba McEntire**

**A Jibbs Fic**

Doctor Donald Mallard sat in a bar, a good walk but not very far from the NCIS building, alone and waiting for his friend. He'd made Jethro promise to meet him tonight for a drink, just so they could spend some time talking about something other than dead bodies. They'd been spending a lot of time apart just recently, what with Ducky's Mother and Jethro's heavy caseload. But the Doctor was determined to spend some time with his best friend tonight. He sighed a little, thinking of the heavy expression in Gibbs' eyes of late. He knew what, or rather who, had caused it and, though there was nothing he could do about it, he did think perhaps if Jethro could talk about it then maybe it would get better.

Just then, he saw a flash of red hair and looked round, thinking it couldn't possibly be who he thought it was. He'd been convinced she wasn't even in the country, as he'd tried to contact her several times in weak moments when handling Jethro had been too much even for him. But it was, in fact, the very woman he'd been indirectly thinking about: Jennifer Shepard. She'd obviously just turned up from whatever business she was in now, and was looking for a little peace, and a good glass of bourbon. The delivery to her of such a drink showed Ducky what he'd been convinced of from the moment he'd seen her: Clearly, she was thinking about Jethro just as much as he was thinking about her. Ducky considered leaving her alone, wondering if maybe talking to someone so connected to her old partner was the last thing she wanted. But the possibility of reconciling this retched loneliness between two people he cared about was too enticing to resist. So he got up off the stool he'd been perched on and went over. There was a far away look on her face as he got close, and a slight wistful smile tingeing her lips as she sipped her neat bourbon.

"Jennifer?" Ducky ventured, putting a hand on her arm. Suddenly she came out of her trance and blinked at him, for a moment her eyes refocusing, and then a brilliant smile bloomed across her expression.

"Ducky! It's so good to see you." She motioned to the seat across from her and he willingly sat down, watching her carefully as she swept the room, obviously checking no one else she knew from NCIS was there as well. "No one else is-"

"No dear, it's just me. Jethro will be coming soon, but for now, I'm all by myself. How are you?" He saw without trying the mixture of emotions that flowed unhindered into her eyes at the mention of her ex-partner. Then they were pushed away and she looked down, a heaviness in her face as she answered his question.

"I'm fine, been doing a lot of work abroad, you?" She darted the question back, obviously not comfortable discussing herself.

"Getting along quite well really. I have a new assistant, name of Gerald, he's a good lad." Her eyes drifted from him, staring into her glass at he talked about life and NCIS, skirting the subject they both knew would have to be addressed sooner or later. At first, Ducky carried on talking as if there were nothing to discuss, then finally asked gently, "Jennifer, how are you really?" That made her eyes shoot up and search his. He smiled at her, as if assuring her there was no harm in talking to him, and that yes, he still did know her that well. She smiled back softly and raised her glass to her lips, giving herself time to think of an appropriate answer.

"I'm satisfied. I'm getting where I want to be." She finally said, but there was an opened ended-ness to her statement. As if she had not said what she did in fact feel. Ducky knew it meant she was confused about how she actually felt, but she did know it wasn't happy. How could she be? She'd left behind a man she loved, a man who had loved her and still did, to further her career. And she knew that was unforgivable in that man's eyes. Ducky wished then, not for the first time and certainly not the last, that his best friend were less of a stubborn man. He gave her a look, as if giving her permission to ask the questions she needed to.

_If you see him  
Tell him I wish him well  
How am I doing?  
Well, sometimes is hard to tell_

"How is he, Ducky?" She broke in a murmur, biting her bottom lip and her shoulders slumping. Donald felt for the woman more warmly in that second than he had in the entire time of their friendship. He could sense in the way he had with people how torn she was. She wanted to do what no other woman had done, to rise beyond the usual level, and she couldn't be happy settling for less. But at the same time, she was drawn to Jethro, loved him more than she'd ever thought possible. She hadn't yet found a way to live with what she'd done to them, even when weighed against the move forward in her career.

"He's surviving my dear. He took loosing you quite hard." The confession seemed to make her blanch and her grip on her glass clenched visibly. Ducky couldn't bring himself to regret his choice of wording though. She needed to know. It wouldn't be fair to either of them to sugarcoat the truth.

"He doesn't blame himself?" She asked hurriedly, looking up with a fear in her eyes. Duck felt a little better that he could allay that particular worry, though he wasn't sure he could be quite so effective if she asked him about anything else.

"No, he doesn't. He was angry with you, for a long time, but now he… he's getting past it. I know he thinks of you often though." Ducky tried to make her feel a little better but the admission just seemed to trouble her more. Perhaps he should not have told her. But she needed to know that however much she was torturing herself over the decision, he was as well. She needed to know what had been between them was not one sided. If she knew that, then there was a chance she would give him an opening and Ducky was sure if she did that, then Jethro would not be able to stop himself, no matter how angry he was. He wouldn't be able to pass up the chance of seeing her again.

_I still miss him more than ever  
But please don't say a word  
If you see him  
If you see him_

"Ducky, I – I know this is going to sound strange but I need you to help him forget me. Match him up with someone else who'll make him happy." Her voice was strained, as if she was forcing the words up her throat and past her lips and Ducky knew that was practically what she was doing. And the very notion made Donald flinch. The possibility of subjecting another woman to Jethro as he was at the moment was a really stupid idea. He was pining for a partner who'd known him better than he knew himself. And she had to know that, somewhere deep inside.

"But you-"

"Yes, I do. Still. And I probably always will. But we can't… I will never see him again most likely. I can live with that. He doesn't deserve to. Find someone to make him happy Ducky." Jenny pleaded with the good doctor, her eyes shining at him in a way that told him just how much this was costing her to say. It tore his heart to have to refuse her, but he couldn't in good conscience do such an injustice to her or Gibbs.

"I'm sorry Jennifer, but I can't do that. He won't accept anyone else but you just now, and it wouldn't be fair to whoever I tried to match him with." There was a second when he knew her eyes flashed at him, just itching to force the point with a stubbornness she'd learned from Jethro – a strength she often fell back on, he could tell. But when she saw his expression, one of patient understanding, she nodded at him and looked away, towards the door. Ducky felt her stiffen and looked around as well. Jethro was just coming through the door and heading for the bar, his eyes heavy and obviously ready for a drink. "Jenny won't you talk-" Donald began but the redhead was already getting up from the table, grabbing some bills from her shoulder bag and withdrawing a card from her pocket. A mere look in the doctor's eyes persuaded him what she was doing was for the best.

"Here's my address, and phone number. Give me call, we didn't really get a chance to talk." She briefly flashed a smile at him and pushed the card into his hands as she slipped the bag onto her shoulder and slid away from the table, heading swiftly towards the door and out into the night, the scent of her perfume lingering around Doctor Mallard as he turned over the contact details in his hand. Shaking his head, wishing the whole situation were different, he gathered together what little jovial attitude he could manage, slipped the card into his pocket and walked over to his best friend.

_If you see her  
Tell her I'm doing fine  
And if you want to  
Say that I think of her from time to time_

Clapping the younger man on the shoulder and smiling, though he knew it wasn't his usual sparkling cheerful effort, he slid onto the seat by Gibbs and ordered a scotch for himself, Jethro already nursing a bourbon. He didn't notice until he'd taken a long sip of his drink that his friend's attention was not in fact on him but on the door and there was a curious expression on the other man's face, as if longing and anger twisted into one. After studying that face for as long as Ducky had been, he knew exactly whom that expression signified thoughts of: Jennifer. He'd seen her, though he wasn't sure if he'd seen her.

"You're not going mad. It was Jennifer." Ducky said quietly, tilting his head to look at Jethro who swung his face back around to look his best friend in the eye. It almost made Ducky laugh at the surprised expression in his friend's eyes that he knew exactly what he was thinking. But that was the extent of Jethro's reaction, because he immediately turned back to his bourbon and took a swig of the amber liquid. "She happened to walk in about a minute after I did." Still there was no reaction; just a heavier set of his expression and Ducky knew he'd have to push. "Don't you want to know how she's doing?" The doctor asked, craning his neck to try and catch Jethro's eyes. But the NCIS Agent was going to be stubborn tonight, just as he was famous for. "Of course you do, you just won't ask." Ducky supplied for him, going back to his own drink and taking another sip. "To tell the truth Jethro, I'm not sure. I'd like to tell you she's doing well and seems happy, you're not so bitter as to wish her ill, but honestly Jethro… She's not the same. She's still bright and she puts up a good front, but some of the spark's gone."

"Price she had to pay for ambition." Jethro said, in what was supposed to be a mild tone but Ducky knew there was a hell of a lot of bitterness behind that statement. He could see it in the way the other man's mouth twisted at the edges and the way he took a rather deeper gulp of bourbon after finishing speaking.

"No Jethro. You know it's not that simple." Duck demurred, flashing a slightly sharp look at his friend. "When she made her choice, I don't think she realised just what it would cost her. And you." Gibbs' shoulders sank a little further into a slump and that required another swig of bourbon. Ducky honestly pitied his friend, though he would never have told him so. He'd lost his heart to a woman who had her heart set on a career but at the same time, offered him her heart as willingly as her time. And there's nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who's in love with him.

_Ask her if she ever wonders  
Where we both went wrong  
If you see her  
If you see her_

Ducky thought about how he could go about breaching this subject, how to leave Jethro with the courage to go after her and make things right. The emotions that were spinning inside both of them would take a long while to die in either of them yet, there was still time. Jethro deserved to find happiness, real happiness, with the one woman Ducky had ever met that might be able to give it to him. They loved each other. Even now, after the months that had spread between their separation. What more did they need, other than to know that? One look in both their eyes could tell them that much.

"She really did lo-"

"She left Duck." Jethro cut him off before he could actually get out the words that were haunting his friend.

"But she's not happy Jethro. Satisfied with her career, maybe, but not happy as a person. That's the difference between then and now."

"She made her bed."

"What if she doesn't want to lie in it?" That seemed to finally stir Jethro from his stubbornness and he turned at last to look Ducky in the eyes with a directness that asked as clear as day "She said that?" Donald thought at last he was getting somewhere. "If she admitted she made the wrong choice, if she asked you to forgive her-"

"She'd never do that." Gibbs replied flatly, meeting Ducky's pleading gaze with his own that was trying so desperately to be devoid of hope. Ducky could see that and his own hope began to spark.

"She wants to. But she's proud and she won't risk being rejected. If you were to-"

"No Ducky. I've moved on."

"So the last time I came round to make you eat and found pictures of her strewn all over your basement floor, that was because you're 'over' her?" Ducky enquired calmly, looking over his glasses at his friend with a long-suffering expression. When he saw the slightly irritated look in his friend's eyes, he added defiantly, as if to prove he wasn't going to back down, "I'm not a fool Jethro." If the situation hadn't been so serious, Jethro would have smiled at Ducky being so cutting. It didn't happen often and was almost certainly a sign he was loosing patience. Gibbs had to wonder how he'd managed to get away with being so hardheaded for this long.

_I still want her  
I still need him so  
I don't know why we let each other go_

Despite the urge to smile and comment on Ducky's behaviour, which would no doubt have led the conversation in a different direction, Jethro was silent for some time after those remarks, mulling over the possible ways he could dodge the precariously emotional conversation his best friend was obviously going to push without being as obvious as answering only his friend's attitude, not statement. But it occurred to him after a few minutes that this was his best friend, someone he trusted, someone who cared about him, and wasn't trying to make him uncomfortable. This made him unsure – he wanted to share his problems just this once, let the person who knew him best that was still in his life, know how much he regretted letting go of Jen. How often he thought over his actions and hers, and wondered at how much he still needed her.

"Sometimes I'm fine, don't even think about her for days, even weeks. Then some days it all comes rushing back, like when I wake up and reach out for her before I'm fully conscious and realise she's not there. It's like she left all over again and I can't get her out of my head. I'll see her in crowds when I know it's not her and feel as if she's just around the corner every time I walk down a street. Then I have to dig out our memories. And I wonder if it meant anything to her." His tone finally revealed how broken he felt and Ducky placed a light hand on his shoulder again, sharing in his friend's pain. Jethro dropped his head to hide the shining in his blue orbs, which Ducky knew would show just how deeply he felt for this woman.

"Trust me Jethro. If you can't trust her, trust me. She still cares for you as much, if not more than you care for her, she just won't ask."

"Yeah, I know." Jethro could feel defeat settling on his shoulders, knowing he had no choice now. He knew Ducky couldn't lie to him, he knew that if there was even a chance he could get Jen back, he would take it, just like his friend had known he would. Looking around at the good Doctor, he didn't say anything but watched as Ducky removed a card from his jacket pocket and slid it across the bar to rest in front of Jethro's hand, clearly showing the name printed in green letters that suited her so well, with a number and address. As his eyes drifted across the well-known name a small smile curled his lips, those letters finally showing him a little hope. Ducky knew he'd done what he could and got up, patted his friend's back and left, sliding a few bills onto the bar for his drink.

_If you see her  
Tell her the lights still on for her  
Nothing's changed  
Deep down the fire still burns for him_

Jethro stood outside the townhouse, card in hand, cell phone in the other. He still knew the number, after all this time, and he wondered if he should call before turning up on her front door. But if he did that, there was always the chance she wouldn't answer the door, because she would be just as terrified as he of awakening the past. Opening themselves up to the same hurt they'd both tried to deal with over the past few months. Finally coming to a decision, he flipped his cell shut and shoved it in his pocket as he crossed the road and rang the bell by her door. There were a few moments of silence and then he saw a shadow pass by the curtain on the left side of the door. She'd been in the sitting room. Probably adding to the bourbon she'd already had tonight. He focussed on the simple facts to quell his nerves. Had he done the right thing? He thought back to what Ducky had said, and the months of suppressed longing he'd endured. Then he knew he was right to be here.

The door creaked a little as the handle was pulled down and the old, thick, oak door swung inwards to reveal the woman he'd been dreaming about for far too long. Jennifer Shepard. She was, even after all this time, very much as he remembered, her red hair still long enough to reach the middle of her arms, pulled straight just then, her eyes as bright and emerald colour as a deep lake and her body just as curvy in a way he adored. He let his eyes sweep her, from the fitted blue jeans to the olive green jumper she had been curled up in, unsure what he would find when he finally met her expression with his expectant one. Finally, his eyes found hers. They were shocked, she'd obviously not been expecting him, and yet there was a gladness there too. Ducky'd been right – she'd missed him just as much as he'd missed her.

"Hi Jen." He managed to force from his throat and she smiled on instinct, leaning against the door.

"Jethro. I should have guessed Ducky would give it to you." There was no bitterness in her voice, just acceptance. He breathed in for a minute, then took a step forward, onto her front step, so he was barely a foot away from her. Her smile faltered briefly into a look of longing before being smoothed away. She was about to say something when he spoke first.

"I've missed you Jen." That had taken some gathering of guts, but he'd said it. Her eyes definitely clouded then before she looked away from his expressive eyes and wrapped her hand around the outer door handle to give herself a moment of distraction as she gathered her own courage.

"I've missed you too." She admitted in a whisper, almost as if she couldn't believe she was saying it out loud. Jethro understood that, she'd probably done just as he had, and buried the whole problem when around other people, not even admitting such a thing to herself. He had thought about what he would say now, and finally decided at last that he was going to say what he thought. He wasn't going to waste time dodging awkward situations, not with so much at stake.

_And even if it takes forever say I'll still be here  
If you see him  
If you see her_

"I don't care how we do it, I don't care what you say Jen, I'm not letting you go again." He pushed out from his constricted throat, lifting his hands to run down her arms and finally take hers away from the door to draw her further towards him. She still would not meet his eyes, clearly not knowing how to react. He could see she was worried; she didn't want to go through what they'd gone through recently, not again. He lifted a hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the palm, the touch of his lips to her skin like an electric shock throughout his body and by the looks of the shiver she gave, through hers as well.

"Jethro, please don't make me…" He pressed another kiss this time to the pulse point in her wrist and she groaned from deep in the back of her throat. Her head tipped back a little and her eyes wavered closed for a few seconds as she struggled to maintain a grip on her sensibility. "Jethro, we… Oh god." She breathed as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to the milky column of her neck. He half smirked at the knowledge that he could still reduce her to these gasps with a few simple touches, though he decided to ignore what those noises were causing in his own body. Her breathing was increasing and the light in her eyes, when they managed to drag themselves open, was considerably darker. He loved it when that happened; it usually meant she couldn't deny him anything once he'd done that.

"Jen, I still want you. Need you. Come back to me." He pleaded into her ear, slipping one hand around her waist and holding her to him, the other hand curving up behind her to play with a piece of hair that was hanging down her back. She, with some strength of will, leant back from him and looked him in eye, trying to see if he really meant what he was saying. He nodded, and she let a wonderfully happy smile grace her features as she nodded back, words she had been stifling inside of her finally spilling out.

"I – I love you Jethro. I'm sorry but I do. I never told you." She murmured, looking a little sad but he answered it with a frown.

"What are you sorry for? Jen, you think I'd be here if I didn't love you back?" He questioned a little teasingly, curling strands of her hair around his finger, meeting her amazed gaze with a smile of his own before he leant in and brushed his lips against hers gently, telling her with one movement how much he'd ached for her and how much he'd wanted her, and just how tightly he was going to hold onto her now. She moved under his lips and slid her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down to her as she opened her mouth to his. Suddenly, what had been a wonderfully tender moment transformed into something a lot more hungry and desperate. As partners, they'd missed the banter and the closeness, but as lovers, they'd missed each others' presence in their space when they woke up and when they went to sleep, spent from showing each other how they felt. Now they were going to make up for all the time they'd spent apart.

_If you see him  
If you see her_

He backed her into the house, kicking the door closed behind him, all the time their mouths completely taken up with the other's. The hand that had been wound around her hair reached up and cupped the back of her neck, holding her mouth to his as he reacquainted himself her taste and tongue, senses swamped by the feeling of holding her body to him and her silky mouth once more available to him. Knowing he didn't want this to move too fast, he resisted her attempts to lead them upstairs, and instead pushed her against the door, his arm shielding her from bruising her back while he pressed himself into her. He'd forgotten how well they fit together – well, he'd forced himself to forget. But now every detail was leaking back.

Another moan, undoubtedly hers, rose around them and it only served to ignite the already fizzling energy flowing through them both. Her body was writhing underneath his and although they were both still full-clothed, it didn't seem to matter; he could feel his body reacting to her movement. He felt her smirk as she dug her pelvis into his and nudged against his arousal. That signalled a growl from him and he slid the hand that had been resting contentedly around her waist to tickle up her taught stomach, pulling her sweater up as he went. The cold air hitting her skin raised goose bumps and his light fingertips skipped over them, until he found the satin edge of her bra. Taking hold of the bottom of her top, he pulled upwards until she was forced to let go of his neck, lift her arms and part her lips from his so he could whip the thing over her head. He didn't see where it landed, nor did he care.

The sight of her in a lacy forest green garment he recognised was just as arousing to him now as it had been the first time they had made love and she knew it; there was that satisfied smirk again. She reached out her arms and brought his mouth back down to her again, this time her fingers gliding up into his hair, rubbing gently at his scalp as she slipped her tongue back into his mouth. He was sure he let loose a moan of his own then, but she wasn't finished. One hand loosed itself and slid downwards, pushing one shoulder of his jacket off while he shrugged off the other one. Although he didn't much like the thought of loosing hold of her, he did remove his hands and pulled off the winter coat, again letting it fall to the floor without a care.

His hands were back on her in a moment, gliding over her ever-so-smooth skin above her hips and around her back, curling over her shoulder, holding her closer as he kissed her deeply, drawing out their every act as he relished their reunion. She busied herself with pulling his shirt out from his trousers and slowly drawing it upwards, occasionally dragging her manicured nails over his skin lightly, wanting to put her mark there but not hurt him at the same time. He let her, engrossed in committing her every curve to memory in case this was a dream. But his imagination had never been this good. Finally, he had to withdraw his hands as well and she drew the shirt over his head, letting it fly way from them. A few seconds of staring at him for a minute, breath taken away by the impressive physique she never got tired of, he cupped her neck again and brought her lips back to his, drawing her away from the door.

She smiled onto his kiss and pulled away slowly, heading for the stairs, taking his hand in hers a little shyly. He'd only been in her house once or twice and they'd never made it to the bedroom. But this was different somehow, this wasn't seeking gratification, this was needing reassurance and… making love. Not that they hadn't done that before, but never in this house. He let her lead them up a few steps before he slid his arms back around her and pulled her against him on the wall, bending his head to graze his teeth along her neck, meeting her jaw line and pressing a kiss to just below her ear. She had to withdraw a sharp breath as he nipped her weak spot and she inclined her own neck to nibble on his earlobe.

"Oh god Jen." Jethro moaned hotly onto her shoulder, biting lightly just above her shoulder blade and then laving the spot he'd laid claim to. She smiled again, feeling the flush of arousal spreading throughout her body as he once more pressed himself into her thigh. He surprised her then, he dropped slightly and slid an arm around her legs, picking her up and climbing the remaining stairs with remarkable agility. She let out a laugh and held on around his neck, breathing over his bare chest and nudging his head with hers. His hand that was holding her around the waist tickled her lower ribs gently and she squirmed, knowing it would drive him crazy.

Just as they reached the landing, he let her down and slammed her into the wall, grabbing both her hands and holding them above her, tilting his head to kiss her as possessively as anyone possibly could. She loved it, the feel of his tongue on hers, the ways his lips were just a little dry, and the rough sensation of his chest rubbing against her softer skin. It was intoxicating. Wanting her hands back, she knew exactly how to achieve freedom and bumped her lower body against his a little too hard, knowing it would be exquisite torture for him and she was right. He released her hands and she darted past him, towards her bedroom door, before he turned and followed her, a grin spreading across his face. Though it was torture, teasing was also fun. She evaded the grasp of his hand for hers though and slipped inside, turning to watch him enter and close the door behind him. She reached down to the button for her jeans but he took a step forward and stilled her hands.

As gently as he could, he invaded her personal space once more and slid both hands down over her sensitised stomach and undid the button himself, knowing he'd done the right thing as she bit down on her lower lip to hold down the gasp he knew she wanted to emit. Enjoying every second of this new sensation, he slid down her zipper and, curving his hands around her sides, gently shimmy-ed the jeans down past her hips and thighs, until she could step out of them. She went to reach for his trousers but he stopped her, giving her a warning glance, and she instead raised her hands to rub over his upper chest, kissing him lightly as he slipped his own trousers down and off.

With only underwear left as a distraction, she grinned and edged backwards towards the bed, until her legs hit the end and she fell backwards, a burst of laughter escaping her lips as he landed on top of her. She rolled them over until she was astride him and felt his erection push once more dangerously close to where she needed him. Again, she had to bite her lip, and he saw it with a smirk. His hands raised and skimmed down her sides until they came to rest on her pelvis, grazing over the material of her panties but not actually moving it. The mere sensation of his fingertips on the top of her thighs was delectable and she brazenly rubbed herself against him, urging him to remove the cloth before she really lost control.

He got the message. He hooked his thumbs under the elastic and shoved them down until she could kick them off herself. Knowing her attention was distracted he took the advantage and rolled them again, pinning her once more underneath him and smirking at her small exclamation of "oh!" while he kissed down her chest, between the valley of her breasts and absorbing the scent he'd never been able to find on anything apart from her while his hands slid underneath her and unhooked her bra. He didn't spare a thought as he slipped the straps down her arms and threw it away across her room. He sighed contentedly and applied his mouth to the newly exposed skin, rendering her completely helpless for a moment as she simply enjoyed his attentions. But she wasn't inactive for long, though what he was doing was a fair distraction. She lifted her legs and pushed his boxers down his thighs, sighing appreciatively when she knew there was nothing left between them. He slid his underwear off his legs and heard them fall off the end of the bed, but was far too captivated by the blissful expression on her face as he reared above her, knowing neither of them could hold off any longer.

He paused, waiting for her to open her eyes, knowing he wanted to see the light flare in them as he entered her. When she did lift her eyelids, he smiled down at her and she smiled back. Then he lowered himself and drove straight into her, both emitting similar groans of pleasure as they joined for the first time in far too long. He waited until she took a breath, adjusting to his size once more, before he slid back until almost releasing her then shoving all the way in, his own breath stilling in his lungs as the feeling of being where he belonged swamped him. They fit so well together; it only made him love making love to her even more. He met her eyes and began to move at a steady pace inside her, dragging his length along her sensitive point at just the right angle that had her crying out and his own muscles tensing in a familiar rhythm. The tension built, he could feel it inside both of them, and though she tried to stifle them, her shouts joined his moans as they both neared the climax. Closer and closer they got, together the entire way.

At last, he felt her clench around him and she sank her teeth into his shoulder to muffle the cry of joy that he knew meant she'd slipped over the edge. The sound of his name on her breath just then sent him over as well and he felt light blossom behind his eyes, his own mouth finding her neck to kiss and suck. After a second of breathing in the scent of them, waiting as they both came down from the high, he lowered himself to the side and she turned with him, keeping them joined for a few extra seconds before he finally slid out of her and gathered her into his arms. Her head was tucked into the crook of his neck and she slid a leg between his, her arm curving over his side and one up to rest on his chest while his slid into her hair and behind her shoulders. She sighed a happy sound and kissed his chest, feeling more wonderfully relaxed and elated than she'd felt in a long time, moving a hand to glide teasingly over his spine. He pressed a kiss to her hair and breathed deeply, peace enveloping him in waves.

"I really missed you Jen." He murmured into her ear, and they both smiled.

"And I really missed you." She replied, mumbling into him as sleep drifted around the edges of her consciousness.

"I'm not gonna let you go again." He repeated his earlier vow and she knew he meant it though she had no energy to work up any irritation over the possessive tone. In fact, just then, it was comforting.

"I know. I don't want to be let go."


End file.
